Why Books Make The Best Mentors

Whenever you need a role model, a counselor, or just a friend, books can always be there for you. They help us grow, laugh, heal our broken hearts, relate to people around us, and learn. Books make the best mentors, and here’s how.

Spend Time With Great Thinkers

Imagine being able to spend all the time you want with the thinkers you most admire. Chances are, they’ve written a book and you could glean some of their genius just by reading.
Have you ever noticed yourself picking up words or habits from the people you hang out with? Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” It’s true! Time spent with others rubs off on you. If you want to be a little bit more like your idols, spend time reading their books.

You Will Change, But The Books Won’t

Have you ever reread a book and noticed completely different things? Or you had a whole new understanding of a character or a plot point? The book is no different than it was, but you have changed since you read it last.

Maybe this doesn’t sound like a perk to having books guide your life, but it totally is. Because you’re growing and changing, when you come back to a book, the part that is most relevant to your life will stand out to you.

Invest In Yourself

I know that you want to be the very best, like no one ever was, (the inspirational Pokémon book comes out this fall) at what you do. One of the best ways to do that is by reading!

Earl Nightingale said many years ago that one hour per day of study in your chosen field was all it takes. One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years you’ll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do.

So spend an hour a day reading, for seven years, and you will be the very best!

That might seem unreasonable, but an hour isn’t so hard. How much time do you spend on social media? Or rewatching a show you’ve seen seven times? (Shoutout to my roommate who has rewatched more shows than I’ve ever completed. It’s actually pretty impressive.) Sure, everyone needs down time to relax and zone out. But most people spend way more time doing things they don’t even necessarily care about doing.
So take some of that time you spend aimlessly thinking about what to do or vegging and invest it in yourself. Invest by reading and, in a few years, the results will be tangible.

Do you turn to books for comfort and advice? Has a book ever helped you through a hard point in your life?